Traveller’s Tips

International Power and Sockets

Knowledge is power – different countries use different power and sockets

Electrical wall outlets (sockets and plugs) and power (voltage) vary around the world. If you take electrical items or a telephone / modem with you when you travel, it is important that you understand these variations. See the Korjo Adaptor Guide for a global plug and socket guide.

SOCKETS & PLUGS

Around the world, there are many different ways in which the shape, number and arrangement of plug pins and socket holes are configured. Korjo adaptor plugs allow the plug configurations to be altered from one style to another, enabling you to plug your appliance into the wall socket wherever you are. Please note that the adaptor plug does not convert voltage – you must make sure that your appliance and the power supply are compatible.

VOLTAGE

There are basically two main systems that are used –
110 volt (actually 100-120 volt) – used in USA, Canada, Japan (and some parts of Spain)
220 volt (actually 200-250 volt) – the rest of the world.
In simple terms, the power supply available at the socket is roughly twice as powerful in 240 volt countries as in 110 volt countries.
Electrical appliances are manufactured to be used at 110 volts, or 220 volts or both (they may have a 110-220v switch, or work automatically on either).

If you have a 220 volt appliance, and you plug it into a 110v source, the product will not receive as much power as it was designed to use – therefore it will work slowly or not at all. An example of this is the Korjo Water Boiler. It is designed for 220V and does not have a voltage switch. It will boil a cup of water on 220V in around 2-3 minutes. But if you take it to a 110V country, the decreased power input means that it may take 10-12 minutes to boil the same cup of water.

If you have a 110 volt appliance and plug it into a 220 volt power source, the product will receive more power than it was designed to use – this will cause damage to the product, the protective fuse and/or the power source!!

It is a good idea to travel with dual voltage appliances – i.e. those that can work on 110 or 220 v systems. A good example of a dual voltage appliance is the Korjo Travel Jug. You can select 120V or 240V and when you select the correct voltage and then plug the jug into the socket, it will boil the water in the same amount of time.

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About Korjo

Korjo is THE original Australian Travel Accessories company. It is still a proudly Australian family company. At Korjo Travel Products, our aim is to help business and leisure travellers all over the world to have a more comfortable, happy, safe and convenient trip.